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	Vol.7, No 28, October 18, 1999
	Retiring professors leave voids in CSULB classrooms By Christine Rhee Daily Forty-Niner A recent survey showed the nationwide trend toward hiring new professors is easily explained: Older professors are retiring.   Nearly one-third of full-time faculty members at Cal State Long Beach were at least 55 years old last fall, according to the office of Academic Affairs.   The numbers reflect the growing rate of teacher retirement, according to a faculty survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA.   "It's not a surprise that the rate of hiring new professors is increasing significantly," said Armando Contreras, executive assistant to CSULB President Robert Maxson. "We received demographic data that many faculty members are at a point of retirement."   The College of the Arts and the College of Liberal Arts had the most openings for new professors. Nineteen instructors were hired for each college for this academic year, according to the office of Academic Affairs.   For the 1999-2000 school year, CSULB hired 57 tenure-track professors and next year's estimate is 81 positions to be filled, said Irene Wood, CSULB academic personnel manager.   "The number of retiring professors has steadily increased over the last few years," Wood said.   However, Contreras said he does not believe the sudden need for more professors is entirely related to older instructors retiring.   "There has been an increased number of students enrolling nationally," Contreras said, referring to the recent surge in enrollment at universities..   Contreras said that more children of baby boomers are enrolling in college, which means more faculty members are needed. The survey also indicated that older professors were stressed as a result of information technology.   Retiring journalism professor Wayne Kelly disagrees.   "Many professors should welcome it," Kelly said. "All of us teachers don't teach [the] same lessons every year. Even teachers need to keep learning."   Although there is a significant need for more professors, Contreras does not think there will be a shortage of teachers in the future.   Just under 13 percent of faculty is less than 30 years old.		Pyramid concert details released   Sedan smacks into campus shuttle   Skateboarders defy on-campus rules   Campus art teaches about domestic abuse   Retiring professors leave voids in CSULB classrooms Closing Holly-wood   Little merit in background check Alumni share their FX secrets with campus   Pantera still confident in its metal sound   Conference shuffle may have domino effect Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.